Bleaching cleaning, oxidizing and disinfectant compositions have been used in home and industrial applications for hard surface care and fabric care.
Hypochlorite bleaches are very effective at removal of stains, when they are used in relatively high concentrations, but these hypochlorite, as well as other active chlorine bleaches, can cause rather severe damage to fabric colors as well as damaging textile fibers. Additionally, these hypochlorite liquid bleaches can present handling and packaging problems. Color and fabric damage can be minimized by the use of milder oxygen bleaches such as potassium monopersulfate; however, stain removal characteristics of these peroxygen bleaches are much less desirable than those of the harsher halogen bleaching agents. Commercial bleaching compositions which contain peroxygen bleaches commonly utilize activators; which are compounds that enhance the performance of the peroxygen bleachant. Bleaching compositions which have employed various types of bleach activators have been disclosed in: Popkin, U.S. Pat. No. 1,940,768, Dec. 26, 1933; Baevsky, U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,550, Oct. 30, 1962; Mackellar et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,839, Aug. 29, 1967; and Woods, U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,711, Jan. 19, 1971.
Hydrogen peroxide and surfactant mixtures have been disclosed in European Patent Application and Patent Nos: EP 0376,704B1; EP 0376706A1 and EP 0009839B2.
Many cleaners combining a disinfecting or biostatic action with a cleaning function have already been commercialized and are present on the market place in various product categories, mainly household and personal care. These products are based on various chemistries or action modes and are designed to deliver an instantaneous disinfecting or sanitizing action at the point of use. The instant invention teaches that it is possible to deliver, by means of incorporating suitable ingredients in appropriate cleaning compositions, a preventive action delaying the growth of stains (bacteria and/or molds) on the treated surfaces, thereby retarding associated nuisances such as contamination, malodor and staining.
The present invention brings a new and different technical benefit: it has been found that it is possible to deliver, independently of an optional disinfection taking place at the point of use, a preventive action able to considerably retard further strain growth on the treated porous surface. This can be achieved by incorporating in a composition a well selected "biostatic" molecule which acts as a "surface preservative" and delays new germs development; this composition can optionally incorporate a bleaching agent. Ideal compositions are those presenting excellent wetting properties to allow a deep penetration of the composition in pores and fractures, and thus an improved in depth active delivery.
These compositions are able to deliver both a cleaning action and a remanant prevention against further strain growth. Derived products contain user friendly ingredients compared to the currently used aggressive chlorine based compositions. Such products which confer to the cleaning action a sanitizing secondary benefit would also permit a less frequent cleaning whilst maintaining the surfaces longer clean and hygienic.
Such products should especially be useful in bathroom where it is very difficult to get rid of colored molds such as Aspergillus niger, Rhodotorula minuta and various Penicilium species.
The present invention relates to a biostatic agent containing cleaning composition, suitable at room temperature or colder or at a higher temperature for pre-treating and cleaning materials soiled with a lipophilic soil. The composition comprises a biostatic agent together with at least one surfactant and water. The invention also relates to the killing as well as the prevention of the formation of fungus, molds, spores, viruses, germs and bacteria as well as to a processes for treating items and materials soiled with soils such as lipophilic soil, with compositions of this invention.